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May 2023

Last Updated: 26/05/2023

Knaresborough

BedFest to add festival feel to Knaresborough Bed Race

by John Grainger

| 27 May, 2023

Last year's Bedfest event, which is held annually to coincide with the Great Knaresborough Bed Race, was sold out.

Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre will be pulling out all the stops to bring a festival feel to Knaresborough on Bed Race day next month.

As the race gets underway on Saturday, June 10, Henshaws will be celebrating with BedFest, which promises to be bigger and better than last year’s sold-out event.

Kicking off at midday, BedFest will offer some mouth-watering food options, with wood-fired pizzas, loaded fries and sweet treats, plus pop-up Mexican street food thanks to Paradise Tap & Taco.

Harrogate Brewery and Knaresborough-based Turning Point will be serving a top range of beers, as well as gins, wine, fizz, cider and soft drinks for the kids.

There will also be some of the finest local musicians around, across two eclectic stages, including renowned DJ Rory Hoy, acoustic singer Leo Hicks, Yorkshire reggae band Drop Leg Steppers, Hot Sauce, DJ Trev and rapper legend Lence.

The venue is on the route of the Great Knaresborough Bed Race, which starts at 3pm, following the Dressed Bed parade through town at 1pm.

Visitors to BedFest will be able to gather at the Arts & Crafts Centre gates to watch the parade, whose theme this year is “That’s Entertainment”, then come back inside the Centre to enjoy the food, drink and music. They can then go back to watch as the beds speed down Bond End before they take on the final challenge of crossing the River Nidd. A wristband will give visitors access from midday right through to 11pm.

BedFest sponsorship and corporate hospitality packages are now available. Gemma Young, fundraising development manager at Henshaws, said:

“A real local gem, the Arts and Crafts Centre – available to hire for celebrations and events year-round – offers a unique setting in the heart of Knaresborough. We are looking forward to welcoming friends old and new to share our special and inspiring space.

“As a small fundraising team, we rely on the support of our fantastic volunteers to deliver our programme of events. If you’d like to find out more about getting involved and supporting a local charity through volunteering, we’d love to hear from you.”

Caroline Sullivan, optometrist director at event sponsor Specsavers, said:

“BedFest represents a fantastic opportunity to come together as a community to raise money for a very important cause. We are proud to have Henshaws as our chosen charity, and the team at Specsavers had a brilliant time volunteering at the recent Beer Festival and are looking forward to being involved in the annual Henshaws Hundreds challenge in June too.”

Tickets for BedFest are on sale now at Henshaws Bed Fest 2023. Tickets cost £10 for adults and £5 for children (3-17); under-2s go free. Complimentary carer tickets are also available.

A full programme of Knaresborough Bed Race events is available at www.bedrace.co.uk.

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BedFest to add festival feel to Knaresborough Bed Race

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